Portable bar



United States Patent l() 3,140,133 PORTABLE BAR James J. Kraft, Natick,Mass. J. J. Kraft Mfg. Co., 168 Riverside Ave., Medford, Mass.) FiledJan. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 167,005 6 Claims. (Cl. S12-140.2)

The present inventionrelates to a foldable or collapsible counter. Moreparticularly the present invention relates to a foldable counter adaptedfor use as a portable bar or the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable orcollapsible counter adapted for use as a portable bar or the like, whichis inexpensive and simple to manufacture, compact, easy to store,transport, and set up. It is also an object of the present invention toprovide a portable bar or the like which may be opened in anaccordion-like fashion from a compact, closed position to an openposition having a multiplicity of spacious shelves. A further object ofthe present invention is to provide a collapsible bar which may be massproduced from easily made and inexpensive components. One further objectof the present invention is to provide a design for a counter of thetype described which may be fabricated in a variety of sizes and of avariety of materials.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a counter of thetype described which is attractive in appearance, which, if desired, maybe formed with improved constructional features such as concealed seamsand the like.

These and other objects of the present invention may be more clearlyunderstood from a consideration of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the front of a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention when fully opened.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 when fully opened;

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the rear of the embodiment shown in FIG.1 when partially closed or folded;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rear of the embodiment shown in FIG.1, somewhat more closed than in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the front of the embodiment of FIG. 1,showing one half of the bar fully closed; and,

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of the front of the embodiment of FIG. 1,showing the invention in a fully closed position.

The present invention is designed to be fabricated of plywood, resinimpregnated Wood panels or like material, together with standard typehardware, such as hinges and casters.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the bar is formed with acounter 1, facing surface 2, ends 3 and shelves 4. In an unfoldedposition the counter 1, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 lies in ahorizontal plane. The facing surface 2 lies in a vertical plane, withthis facing surface 2 extending downwardly from the forward edge of thecounter 1. The ends 3 are positioned at the ends of the facing surface 2and extend downwardly from and normal to the counter 1. The shelves 4are positioned parallel and in spaced relation to the counter 1, withthe shelves extending rearwardly from the facing surface.

The facing surface 2 is formed of two pairs of facing panels 5. Eachfacing panel is vertically oriented and is hinged at its adjacent sideedge 6 to the other panel 5 forming the pair. Preferably these panelsare hinged by means of concealed hinges so that these hinges may not beseen from the front of the bar as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Each pair of facing panels are secured to a center facing strip with theinnermost vertical edges 7 of each pair hinged preferably to the strip 8by concealed hinges.

V 3,140,133 Patented July 7, 1964 The facing surface 2 may be foldedfrom the position illustrated in FIG. 6 through the stages illustratedin FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

The counter 1 comprises a center counter panel 9 and two end panels 10,hinged to thecenter counter panel 9 along adjacent edges 12. The centercounter panel 9 is secured to the top of and is normal to a center panel13. The center panel 13 is secured to the rear surface of and is normalto the center facing strip 8.

At the outermost side edges of the end panels forming the facing surfaceare end panels 17. These end panels 17 are pivotally hinged, preferablyby concealed hinges along adjacent edges 18 to the panels 5. The endpanels and facing panels 5 are preferably of the same height. The endpanels 17 are adapted to fold from an unfolded position in which theyare normal to the facing panel to a folded position in which they aresubstantially parallel and facing the facing panels 5.

The shelves 4 comprise upper shelves 15 and lower shelves 16. Uppershelves 15 are hinged along one edge 20 to the inner surface 19 of theend panels 17. These upper shelves 15 are adapted to fold from a foldedposition in which they are in face to face relation to the inner surface 19 of the end panels to an unfolded position in which they areparallel with the unfolded position of the counter 1. The edges of theshelves 15 opposite the hinged shelves are engageable with the counterpanel by suitable means, such as a lock or the like.

The lower shelves 16 are pivotally hinged along one edge to the centerpanel 13 by suitable hinge means. These lower shelves are adapted tofold from an unfolded position parallel to the unfolded counter to afolded position parallel to and adjacent the center panel 13, asillustrated in FIG. 4.

In the arrangement illustrated, the center facing strip S should beWider than the thickness of the center panel 13 by the thickness of thelower shelves and facing panels, so that in its folded position thesecomponents can be flat behind the center facing strip. Preferably theend panels 17 are cut on their upper portion along a bias 22,terminating below the end counter panels 10. If desired, locks forsecuring the end panels 17 to the end counter panels 10 may be providedfor use when the bar is in its unfolded position. The center panel 13may be provided with a cut-out section 25 adapted to permit articles tobe moved more readily from one section to another.

The bar may be made portable by a plurality of casters 26 secured inpairs to the bottom edges of the end panels and center panel.

What is claimed is:

l. A foldable portable counter or bar comprising,

a plurality of pairs of vertically oriented facing panels with thepanels within each pair hinged together along vertical adjacent edges,

means hinging at least two of said pairs along vertical edges of saidfacing panels -to a common center portion,

whereby said plurality of pairs of panels are adapted to form acontinuous facing surface in an unfolded position and a plurality ofsubstantially parallel panels in a folded position,

a center panel extending vertically and rearwardly from said centerportion and secured thereto,

end panels pivotally hinged to the outer-most edges of the outer-most ofsaid facing panels,

and a counter comprising a center counter panel and a pair of endcounter panels hinged to said center counter panel at adjacent edges,

said center counter panel secured over said center portion with said endcounter panels adapted to extend over said end panels and rearwardlyfrom said facing panels when said counter is in an unfolded position.

2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 having shelves,

a plurality of upper shelves and lower shelves,

pivotally secured to said end panels and center panel and adapted to bemoved from a folded position parallel with said center panel to anunfolded position parallel and in spaced relation to said counter whensaid counter is unfolded.

3. A structure as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said shelves project rearwardly in an unfolded position fromsaid facing surface,

said upper shelves are pivotally secured to said end panels, and saidlower shelves are pivotally secured to said center panel.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said center panel is formedwith a cut-out section in its upper portion above said upper shelves inan unfolded position.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said center panel and saidend panels are provided with casters.

6. A device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said facing panels, saidend panels and said center panel are all of substantially the samewidth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,913,387 Hayward June 13, 1933

1. A FOLDABLE PORTABLE COUNTER OR BAR COMPRISING, A PLURALITY OF PAIRSOF VERTICALLY ORIENTED FACING PANELS WITH THE PANELS WITHIN EACH PAIRHINGED TOGETHER ALONG VERTICAL ADJACENT EDGES, MEANS HINGING AT LEASTTWO OF SAID PAIRS ALONG VERTICAL EDGES OF SAID FACING PANELS TO A COMMONCENTER PORTION, WHEREBY SAID PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF PANELS ARE ADAPTED TOFORM A CONTINUOUS FACING SURFACE IN AN UNFOLDED POSITION AND A PLURALITYOF SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL PANELS IN A FOLDED POSITION, A CENTER PANELEXTENDING VERTICALLY AND REARWARDLY FROM SAID CENTER PORTION AND SECUREDTHERETO, END PANELS PIVOTALLY HINGED TO THE OUTER-MOST EDGES OF THEOUTER-MOST OF SAID FACING PANELS, AND A COUNTER COMPRISING A CENTERCOUNTER PANEL AND A PAIR OF END COUNTER PANELS HINGED TO SAID CENTERCOUNTER PANEL AT ADJACENT EDGES, SAID CENTER COUNTER PANEL SECURED OVERSAID CENTER PORTION WITH SAID END COUNTER PANELS ADAPTED TO EXTEND OVERSAID END PANELS AND REARWARDLY FROM SAID FACING PANELS WHEN SAID COUNTERIS IN AN UNFOLDED POSITION.